06 old
by Shea Fahlin
Summary: Story is being rewritten, please see the new story 06. I'll leave this up until I finish the rewrite, then this one is coming down.
1. Chapter 1: All Systems Active

The tale of my super hero from Paragon City, ACAAu-06 (Champion server.) Still in progress, but I have high hopes for the story... please review, the more reviews I get the more likely I am to get off my lazy butt and update. -Shea Fahlin

DISCLAIMER: The setting and any references to the Rikti, Paragon City, or most anything else is actually owned by NCsoft Corporation and Cryptic Studios. I offered to buy it, but they pointed out that my soul is already owned by Lucifer and the bag of cheetos was empty, so.... all I own are the characters, and not even all of them (the Surviving Eight belong to NCsoft and Cryptic, too.)

CHAPTER 1: All Systems Active  
  
This story begins with a man. He was a small man, with an air of education. He wore glasses, a white lab coat, and a small array of tools on his belt.  
He also looked very, very tired. But then, so did most people in Paragon City at this time.  
It was almost immediately after the invasion of the alien Rikti. The city was in ruins, almost the entire military was destroyed, the police force was crushed, and the general population was a mass of terror and anxiety.  
Even the once-mighty Super Heroes of Paragon City were nearly wiped off the planet. Only eight survived.  
Back to the old man. He was crouched over a long table. Arrayed around him in a disheveled heap were many different technological devices that were gutted, their parts removed and the rest now useless.  
At the top of these piles rest many Rikti drones. Robotic war machines, the drones were powerful and dangerous, but now they were nothing more than heaps of metal.  
Where did all the parts go? The old man had some on a stand beside him, but most were within the humanoid form on the long table.  
Stationed on the table was what appears to be a humanoid robot. Parts of it looked brand new; other parts were rusted, discolored and old. The robot was not active, and its chest cavity was open with many wires and other objects sticking out.  
The old man stepped back from the table, and looked at an old computer nearby. Nodding, he closed the chest cavity. With great excitement, he hit the activation switch on the robot.  
  
SYSTEMS CHECK  
VISUAL SONIC RADAR MOTOR LOGIC COMBAT   
POWER SOCIAL MISCELLANIOUS AUDIO   
ALL SYSTEMS ACTIVE  
SELF SCAN DATA UPLOAD  
MODEL ACAAu ID 06 CLASSIFICATION COMBAT  
INDRODUCTION PROCESS RUNNING  
  
The robot slowly came to an upright sitting position. What would be the eyes if it had eyes looked in the direction of the small man. Whirring to life, the voice synthesis hardware began processing data, and the robot said in a deep, mechanical voice, "Greetings. This unit is classification Advanced Character Assassination Assault unit number Zero Six. This unit is ready to begin task processing upon command. Please clarify owner/operator of this unit."  
The little man looked at the robot, and said, in a squeaky voice, "Your owner is Professor Adrian Manisto. Your operator will be yourself."


	2. Chapter 2: A Brief History

The second chapter of my continuing saga of ACAAu-06. Details the process that led to the creation of the hero. Remember, Reviews=Happiness=More story! UPDATED added more info and fixed some problems, yay!

DISCLAIMER: Yes, it's true, NCsoft Corporation and Cryptic Studios still refuse to sell me the rights to Paragon City and the associated items. I don't know what they found wrong with the platypus, it was still good...... anyway, they own Paragon City, the Rikti, and just about everything except my original characters.

Chapter 2: A Brief History of CyberTech Corp.  
  
Professor Adrian Manisto was once a design technician in the CyberTech Corporation Humanoid Robotics R&D department.  
CyberTech was the world's number one cutting edge robotics corporation. They marketed everything from robotic toys for children to advanced robotic military targeting systems, and were successful in every market. They were most successful because, rather than buying patents from developers, they incorporated their own R&D section, and became as famous for their innovative designs as for their successful marketing skills.  
The biggest, most funded section of R&D was Humanoid Robotics. Incorporating the technology from all other departments, the humanoid robots were the ultimate in high technology, and everything from menial servants to hard laborers to combat units were developed in CyberTech labs.  
  
Before the Rikti invasion, they were working on an advanced combat prototype called the ACAAu models- Advanced Character Assassination/Assault units. Designed to be the most effective combat units to date, they were fitted with all the best weapons and logic modules. Designed for combat in the modern world, they were also fitted with active camouflage units and other stealth-related abilities.  
There were few flaws in the design, but one glaring problem had the development team by the throat. The robots required incredible amounts of energy to function. Huge, unwieldy power packs graced the models, and the robots had to recharge several times in a twenty-four hour operating period.  
When the first wave of Rikti invaded, the Paragon City government decided it could spare the power. On contract with Paragon City Hall, CyberTech began pumping out units, but before even the first one was fully completed, the Rikti launched an attack that destroyed the entire compound.  
Professor Manisto was deep underground in the lowest level of the compound at the time. He had fled there after witnessing the destructive power of the Rikti. He survived, alone of all the humans in the compound.  
However, there was one other survivor. One of the earlier ACAAu models, unit ID 06, was boxed up in the subbasement as well. When Manisto stumbled upon it, he was delighted- all of the research from his department was put into this robot, and so the advanced technology was not lost as he had feared.  
Manisto immediately began work to get the unit up to working condition. He reasoned that if he could get it operational, the city could use it to combat the remaining Rikti, as well as the new evils appearing in the city.  
Once he ran out of parts from the factory, he began scavenging. More than once he was at odds with the Clockwork, and several times he feared for his life. However, he was able to get enough spare technology together to begin work on the unit. He chose to upgrade the combat computer and outfit the unit with a MS7 All-Purpose Assault Rifle, which he felt most suited the advanced capabilities of the robot.  
He hit gold one day while scavenging- he found a large group of deactivated Rikti drones. Jumping at this chance to use advanced technology in his designs, he returned with the drones. Among other technologies, he discovered an advanced AI unit which he was sure would give his robot some degree of free will, and an adaptive processor that would allow the unit to 'learn' new techniques and incorporate new technology into itself, allowing it to grow more powerful as time went on.  
Most important of all, he found a lightweight power source within the Rikti technology that could continue powering this unit indefinitely. This unit in one fell stroke destroyed the biggest weakness of the robot model and, perhaps, made the entire effort worthwhile. After two months of work, he declared his prototype complete, and switched it on.


	3. Chapter 3: Prime Directive

Chapter 3 is here!!!!! Thanks to clouded leopard for the first review, much appreciated, and in response, I put in some action for this chapter. Not much, but don't worry, the next chapter will be a bit more action oriented!

DISCLAIMER: You probably get the idea now, but I don't feel like Cryptic Studios or NCsoft to beat me with pingpong paddles, so I'm making sure to include the disclaimer. Those two organizations own most of my story- the setting, in particular, as well as some of the characters and most of the bad guy organizations. Up to this chapter, all I can claim to own are Prof Manisto, Sophie, and of course Ace.

CHAPTER 3: Prime Directive  
  
The little man looked at the robot, and said, in a squeaky voice, "Your owner is Professor Adrian Manisto. Your operator will be yourself."  
"Please confirm," the robot replied. "Owner is Professor Adrian Manisto. Operator is Your Self."  
"This may be tougher than I thought," Manisto said, chuckling to himself. "Let me clarify: Your owner is indeed Professor Adrian Manisto- myself. You will be self-operated. Your self-diagnostic should have activated your artificial intelligence chip."  
  
SYSTEM CHECK: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE  
SYSTEM: HARDWARE CONFIRMEDSOFTWARE CONFIRMED  
ACTIVATE SYSTEM AI SUBSYSTEM FULL SELF-OPERATION  
SYSTEM ACTIVATED  
  
"System confirmed. This unit is owned by Professor Adrian Manisto, and is self-operated. Professor Adrian Manisto, please provide a prime directive to operate within."  
Manisto turned, and looked out a window. Some distance away, over the harbor, sprawled Paragon City. He gazed in silence for a moment, and then spoke.  
"I've been thinking about that. It certainly wouldn't do to have you do menial work- your core programming is far more advanced than that. No, I think something more... drastic is in order."  
He turned to the robot. "Paragon City is in turmoil. City Hall sent an order to us for ACAAu models during the war, but the models were never completed... I think you should fulfill the order the City Hall send us. "Unit ACAAu-06, your prime directive is to protect Paragon City and its civilian inhabitants, and work to prevent crime." He smiled at the robot, a small smile, half-sad smile. "You may use the MS7AR on the table there—it's been fitted with tranquilizer bullets. Keep the people safe."  
"Prime directive acquired. Processing... accepted. Prime Directive: Defend Paragon City and its inhabitants." The robot reached over, picked up the 20 lb. MS7AR and slung it easily over its shoulder. It then got up, and began walking toward the door. A few feet from it, the robot stopped, and spoke.  
"Owner Professor Adrian Manisto."  
"Yes?"  
"This unit may be referred to as 'Ace.'"

* * *

She had seen them before. They called themselves the Hellions, or the Blood Brothers, depending on who you spoke to. They wore red and scarves over their faces. She knew because she was staring this one in the face.  
"C'mon, lady, just give it up already! I don't want to kill you and you don't want to die, right?"  
"Please, just let me go!" Sophie screamed. "Why are you doing this?"  
"Because," the other Hellion said, standing behind her, "We need the money. Now, just hand it over like a good little girl."  
  
PROCESSING VISUAL AND AUDIO DATA  
  
"This is crazy! You can't just assault me!" Sophie replied.  
  
PROCESSEDCATEGORY: CRIME SUBCATEGORY: ASSAULT  
  
"Lady, just hand the damn thing over before I get angry!" the first Hellion said, pulling out a handgun and pointing it at her.  
  
DIRECTIVE: END CRIME  
  
Sophie took one look at the gun pointed at her head, and screamed at the top of her lungs!  
  
TARGETING........  
  
There was a loud gunshot, and then a thud. It took Sophie a moment to realize the bullet hadn't hit her, and the thud was not her falling. She opened her eyes, and saw the Hellion lying on the ground, eyes open and gazing at her, a bullet hole in his back.  
"Oh my god... is he dead?" she said aloud. The Hellion behind her simply stared at the body on the ground.  
"Negative," a deep and grating voice replied. "The bullet was non- lethal; the target is unconscious and will revive within four hours. However, by that time he will be relocated to the Paragon City Penitentiary."  
Sophie looked up, a thanks coming to her lips, but it died before it escaped her mouth. Her eyes widened at what she saw.  
Standing above her was a man-shaped object. Its arms were simply metal poles with wires running between and past them. Its legs were solid metal, deep gray, with vents along the sides. Its chest was black metal as well, with several lights glowing along the left shoulder, and two more vents on the chest. However, the strangest part was its 'face', or lack thereof... Where its face should be was merely a smooth metal helm with a comms antenna, and a grating through which the strange, metallic voice issued forth; the entire effect was completely inhuman, and for Sophie, completely terrifying.  
She screamed again, loudly.  
Though the metal face could not change, the strange creature seemed, somehow, surprised.  
The Hellion behind Sophie suddenly came to his senses. Pulling out a handgun, he shouted, "You FREAK!" and began firing at the creature.  
The bullets pinged harmlessly off the creature as it began to walk forward. Reaching over its shoulder, it pulled out an enormous rifle, which it then aimed at the Hellion.  
Another gunshot rang out, and the second Hellion dropped to the ground. Slinging its rifle, the creature turned to Sophie...  
...and held out its hand to her. She hesitated, then, deciding that it meant her no harm, she grabbed its hand. Its strength surprised her as it pulled her to her feet, seemingly with no effort.  
"You are not hurt, citizen?" it asked her.  
"I'm... I'm ok," Sophie replied hesitantly. "A bit shaky, but otherwise, ok."  
The creature turned to leave. Sophie realized she still thought of it as 'the creature', though by now she didn't doubt that it was some sort of robot. It must have a name, she thought to herself.  
"Hey, before you go... what do they call you?" she asked it.  
Turning, it gave her an eyeless glance, and replied, "I am ACAAu-06... but you may call me Ace."  
"Well, Ace... thanks."  
On that note, Ace turned and left. 


	4. Chapter 4: Superhero

Yet another chapter in the saga, and quite frankly I'm glad I'm sticking with this for once. Thanks to my two reviewers, Clouded Leopard and Rockura, for letting me know that my efforts are not in vain... On to the story!

But first... DISCLAIMER!!! You know them, you love them, and this one's dedicated to NCsoft and Cryptic Studios! They own most of the stuff dealing with Paragon City, and seeing how the game's sweet enough that a good number of people play it, I'm not gonna try to rip them off! What I own so far is Professor Adrian Manisto, Sophie, the newest character Corrigan Easton, and of course Ace himself, so you can assume the rest belongs to the big guys.

Chapter 4: Superhero  
  
Ace walked slowly through the back alleys of Paragon City. He had rapidly learned that his appearance was startling to the average civilian, and so he now revealed himself only in the case of a crime.  
He was processing the data he had acquired this night. He had stopped seven crimes thus far, and showed up late for three others. Other than the one lady, every person he had saved had turned and run from him. However, the crime was stopped and that was most important.  
He turned a corner and came upon three men fighting. Two of them used knives, and were recognizable as Hellions by their clothes, and were fighting the third man, who had a curved sword.  
Ace paused. He was unsure which persons to target, or whether to target any of them. After all, they were all fighting each other and he didn't know who started it. He finally came to a conclusion. He stepped out of the shadows.  
"Cease and desist!" he said aloud.  
The three men ignored him.  
He watched as the one with the katana danced nimbly around the other two, blocking a knife and nailing the closer one with the flat of his blade. Laughing, he twisted quickly away from the now unconscious form, and, turning to the other, saw Ace.  
In his moment's hesitation, he got stabbed. Twisting in pain, he struck the other person with the hilt of his sword, dropping him to the ground as well. He then turned, and stared at Ace for a short time.  
"You with them?" he asked shortly.  
"Negative," Ace replied. "I am—"  
"Why you hangin' round here then?" The man asked. "You could get in some major trouble, seeing the way you look."  
"I am currently directed to protect the citizens of Paragon City. Because of—"  
"Oh, I see!" the man said, laughing. "You're a Superhero too then?"  
"Please clarify meaning of Superhero."  
In response, the man pulled out a document, handing it to him. It read:  
  
PARAGON SUPERHERO LISCENCE  
FORM 1132-A This person, CORRIGAN EASTON, is granted license to uphold the law and to use extreme or violent measures to do so. He is licensed to carry weapons and to apprehend criminals, or in situations where innocent lives are threatened, to eliminate said criminals if necessary.  
  
It went on from there. When he was finished scanning it, he gave it back to the man.  
"Name's Corrigan, but just call me Cor. You are?" he said, holding his hand out.  
Ace looked at Cor's outstretched hand. "This unit is classified as Ace."  
Cor waited a few seconds, and then sheepishly lowered his hand. "So, you—"  
Suddenly, there was the sharp rattle of a machine gun. Cor dived to the side, barely dodging bullets, while Ace simply stood in the middle of the burst. Turning, he saw another man dressed in Hellion fashion. However, there were some differences: a facemask with horns sticking out of the top, better quality clothes, and a machine gun far better than anything the other Hellions had. From this machine gun poured the spray of bullets.  
"A Fallen!" Cor shouted, and there was a ringing sound as he unsheathed his sword.  
Ace drew his gun, and pointed it toward the Fallen. He fired one shot straight in to the Fallen's chest. Then another. Then another.  
The Fallen wouldn't stop coming! Ace suddenly realized he was taking severe damage from the hail of bullets. Mimicking Cor, he dove to the side behind a dumpster. This criminal had just taken enough tranquilizers to knock out a bull, and he didn't even seem to blink... and the gun he was using was powerful enough to do damage to the steel alloy Ace was coated in. Far more dangerous than the others.  
Cor was making a strange gesture at him. He watched for a moment, then his processors snapped out a response and, understanding, he gave Cor a quick nod.  
The bullets suddenly stopped, and there was the sound of reloading. Seizing his opportunity, Ace jumped out from behind the dumpster, and began sending round after round into the criminal's chest... which slowed him, but only slightly.  
The Fallen finished reloading, pointed the gun at Ace's faceplate—then there was a yell, and a loud thud.  
Corrigan had sneaked around behind the dumpster while Ace distracted the criminal, then with one wild swing, had completely decapitated him. Ace watched as the body slouched forward, landing in a pool of its own blood.  
Corrigan, breathing heavily, looked up at Ace and said in a low voice, "Well, guess we can cross off one of our 'admirers.'"  
Ace replied, "I highly doubt that this human admired us, or he wouldn't have been trying to eliminate us."  
Cor just looked at him funny for a bit, and then said, "Right... well, see you later then, I guess..." And with that, he walked down the alley and was gone.


	5. Chapter 5: Shadowed Premonitions

Ok, I'm getting to the point where I spam every author on this site to get reviews. Please don't force me to that point. I would much rather that you read and review the story on your own. Please do so.  
  
DISCLAIMER: Once again, I must post this just in case. NCsoft and Cryptic Studios own the rights to the game City of Heroes, any references to anything in that game, and the restraining order that prevents me from sending them taunting emails. In this chapter, I own only Thomas Maarlynd, Genetic Alternatives Corporation and all the previous things I mentioned I owned in previous chapters. Please note also that it is highly unlikely that City of Heroes will feature GACorp at any point, so don't expect to see it there.

* * *

CHAPTER 5: Shadowed Premonitions  
Elsewhere in Paragon City.... 

The doors opened, and a man walked in. He was dressed like a businessman, in a gray jacket and slacks with a brown briefcase. He sat at the head of the table, and looked over the other people sitting there.  
There were eight others. They were his Division Leaders. Each was in the official employ of Genetic Alternatives Corporation, as secretaries, accountants or the like. However, their actual jobs were much different. They led the eight Divisions—the structure of a new and very bold move by GACorp.  
"How is the recruitment going?" the businessman asked. He looked at the man closest on his left. This man was dressed not in a business suit, but in a black bulletproof uniform.  
"Better than we expected," the man replied. "We've received more than twice the original projected number. Fifty percent are going to Infantry and I-Forward divisions, and the others are being sorted by skill to Intelligence, Sabotage, Aerial and Navy. We project that we'll have full quadrants in Aerial and Navy within two months; Infantry and I-Forward already have full quadrants. We've also got a small but noticeable number reporting for R&D as experimental test patients; the ones who survive will likely be filtered into I-Elite and Elite Defense."  
The businessman gave a small nod, and turned to a man in a white lab coat.  
"Production is also exceeding expectations," the man began without hesitation. "We've got enough small arms and rifles to outfit our unusual number of new recruits and are exceeding productive minimum by 37 percent. The people volunteering to be test subjects have been given rooms near the test labs; we will begin alterations shortly. As for the construction of a new headquarters, we have finished excavation and are now moving into the actual construction phase. We are, of course, following your layout."  
With another small nod, the businessman turned to a third man, this one in a casual outfit, but with a look of lean grace.  
The man smiled, and said simply, "No one has any idea what we're doing here."  
The businessman smiled, and stood up. "Gentlemen," he said, "I have full faith in the success of this project. I congratulate you all on your expertise, and wish you luck in your endeavors. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a pressing meeting to attend; I will be back later to check on further results. I am very impressed with what I have heard so far."  
The division leaders stood and saluted, and with that, the businessman left.  
The man in the black bullet jacket turned to the man in the lab coat. "Never met a more efficient man," he said conversationally.  
The man in the lab coat replied, "Thomas Maarlynd built GACorp on one premise- when he wants something, he takes it."  
"And what does he want this time?"  
"Something big."

The division leaders filed out to go about their assorted tasks.

* * *

LOL: CloudedLeopard (and anyone else who's confused), this chapter is to introduce you to the big bad guys of my story. This is happening while Ace is doing other stuff. This is STILL the same story!!! 


	6. Chapter 6: Questions

This story is actually beginning to take shape in my mind... which is good...

Yet again, the continuing story of ACAAu-06

Disclaimer: You can't tell me you haven't gotten the picture yet... I don't own it, ok? OK? Stop asking me already!!!

* * *

Chapter 6: Questions

"Hey! He's got my purse! Somebody stop him!!"

A masked man ran down the alleyway, carrying a purple purse. He moved fairly fast, but ended up tripping over cracked pavement, measuring his length on the concrete.

After four months of patrols, Ace's computer processor had taken on a level of complexity equivalent to that of a human brain. Thus, the act of computing information could, at this point, be considered 'thought'.

As Ace looked down at this would be thief, his thoughts were of the man's small size and pitiful stature. Obviously a run-down, probably recently evicted from his apartment. Only someone in this state would risk a purse-snatching in Paragon City.

Ace jumped off the roof into the path of the criminal. As the man's eyes went wide, Ace drew his assault rifle, and pointed it at the man's chest.

"Return the purse, and you may go," Ace said.

However, the man dropped to his knees and gripped the purse ever tighter. "Please," he said. "Please, just leave... I need this purse, I need the money!"

Ace bent down and took the purse from the man's grip. Unable to retrieve it, the man sprang forward and grabbed Ace's arm. "I need that money! I need it! I haven't got any, how am I supposed to get food?"

Under normal circumstances, Ace would have simply shaken him away. However, this time he paused. Something in the man's tone caused him to consider his words.

This man was unable to pay for food. Thus, he stole the purse for money so he could eat. The Prime Directive said to protect the city and it's inhabitants... and so he fought crime with the other Superheroes, and in this case should return the purse. But wouldn't that cause harm to the man, who could not buy food?

The dilemma lasted only a short time. He filed the question away and concluded that in this case, there were other options than crime for this man. However, he was perhaps gentler than he would have been with the man's arm.

He walked back out of the alley, where a young lady waited. Nodding to her, he returned her purse.

As he turned to go, she grabbed his shoulder, spinning him to face her. She smiled widely, and Ace realized he had aided her once before; she had said her name was Sophie.

"Thanks again, Ace," she said.

"Any time," he replied.

* * *

Ace had been following a strange string of incidents for some time now, often with help from other Heroes. The evidence pointed strongly toward a branch of the Fifth Column called the Nacht. Tonight Ace, Corrigan, and a few others were investigating a delivery of advanced weaponry not chartered by the local government.

As they entered the warehouse, sounds of gunfire reached their ears. They sprinted down the hall.

Emerging into a large room, they stopped and looked around in awe.

Sprawled around the room were the bodies of some thirty Nacht troopers. Scanning the bodies, Ace found that none were dead, but none were conscious either. Impressive, to say the least.

Several boxes were stacked together on the other side of the room. Bullet holes surrounded the area. Crouching behind the boxes were seven riflemen. Ace nearly opened fire before he realized that they weren't in the same uniforms as the Nacht.

Looking up, the riflemen immediately regrouped and aimed at the entering superheroes. "You there!" the leader shouted. "Identify yourself, friend or foe?"

Corrigan stepped forward, leaning on his sword with a grin on his face usually reserved for the terminally insane. "Depends," he shouted. "Do you enjoy getting the tar kicked outta you, or are you gonna point those toys in another direction?"

"Easy, Cor," Adalia said. Stepping forward, she gave a half-bow and said, "We are friends so long as you are." Her words often calmed even the tensest moments. Or maybe it was the half-bow.

Convinced they were in no real danger, several of the riflemen slung their guns and resumed work on the figure on the ground next to them, which Ace now recognized as a fallen soldier.

Ace and his group jogged over. "What happened here?" Kethric asked.

One of the troops looked up. Judging from the differenced in uniform and the way the others deferred to him, Ace concluded that he was the squad's leader. "Our supply shipment came in today," he said. "Apparently, word got out. The Nacht are always looking for more weapons and supplies, and they staged an assault. Luckily for us, their training is far inferior... but nonetheless, their sheer numbers were daunting. We took them down, but they got a couple of lucky shots, and one of them took Rich down."

"Here," Adalia said. "Let me take a look." As the soldiers stepped back, she began chanting. The soldiers watched in awe as Rich, enveloped in a warm glow, healed and awoke.

"Which group are you affiliated with?" Kethric asked the leader, who was paying some attention in contrast to his troops.

"We're part of GAC. Thanks for coming, but we no longer need your help. We've got it from here."

"Now hang on a tick," Corrigan said. "Need a hand moving these boxes?"

"No thanks, friend... we've got it from here, like I said."

* * *

As they left, Kethric turned to the other heroes and said, "Any of you ever hear of GAC?" 


	7. Chapter 7: Beginning of the End

This story is reaching its hardest stage. I've yet to flesh out the actual conflict between Maarlynd and Ace, though I know what direction it will take. Please forgive me if this chapter is poor quality; send me some constructive criticism and I'll use it to help me write.

DISCLAIMER: Paragon City is owned by Cryptic Studios. Paragon City is owned by NCSoft. Bestiality is a sin. I'm not sure how that came up, but... yeah, disclaimer is still in effect.

* * *

Chapter 7: Beginning of the End

"Ridiculous!" the mayor of Paragon City shouted at the top of his lungs. "There is no way I will stand for this! No way will the American government stand for it! This is an attack on the United States of America, do you realize that?"

Tom Maarlynd calmly sipped his tea on the other end of the video feed, letting the tirade wash over him. At this question, he looked up. "I understand quite well what I'm doing, Mr. Mayor," he said. "The one who doesn't understand is you. This is not an attack on the United States. This is a proposition, which may lead to combat if you make the wrong choice, and I'm not limiting it to America. Rest assured I will take command of the entire world by the end of this campaign, by force only if necessary."

"I will not stand for it! The Heroes of Paragon, the PPD, the National Guard... Everyone will stand against you! I'm ordering your arrest, _Mister_ Maarlynd!"

"I was afraid our meeting would go like this, Mr. Mayor. I suppose I will next see you when our battle is won..." With these parting words, Maarlynd cut the video feed.

The Mayor sat in shock for a moment, and then picked up his phone for his secretary.

"Miss Kathleen? Yes? Send out an immediate call for all Heroes to gather in Atlas Park, and send the Statesman to me. Yes, I said ALL OF THEM!"

* * *

Corrigan forged his way through the crowd to Ace's side. "So," he said, with his usual smile—the one that could make even a robot nervous—"How'd your evening with Sophie go?"

"Oddly," Ace replied. "I still do not understand why she would invite a robot out to dinner with her. It seems contrary to logic. However, she seemed pleased with how it went, up until the call to organize came through."

Corrigan could hardly contain his laughter. "Man, you may be a badass when it comes to busting crime, but everywhere else you're about clueless!"

Unable to find a suitable reply, Ace simply stayed quiet.

Then the Statesman himself took the podium, the Mayor by his side. He looked out over the crowd, and his gaze seemed to take in every one of them equally.

"Heroes of Paragon," he said into the silence that had descended, "You risk yourselves every day to defend our great city from small evils. Each of you is mighty, each wholly dedicated to justice. Each of you has sacrificed many things—your safety, personal life, and privacy—in the pursuit of righteousness. For that, you are to be commended."

He quelled a short but spirited cheer, and then went on. "Since the Rikti Invasion, our city has been plagued by crimes; kidnapping, murder, arson, crimes many and varied, and in each situation a Hero has come to the rescue. And I don't just mean us registered Superheroes—the Paragon Police Department and Paragon division of the Nation Guard are here, too, and for good reason. They are as much heroes as we are!"

Another short cheer, mostly from the area where the PPD stood, and then Statesman continued. "Few situations have gotten out of hand to the point where great groups of heroes have been called in. These crimes were isolated, part of a larger story but still small enough to be contained and eliminated."

The crowd descended into a foreboding silence, awaiting his next words with dread anticipation.

"Heroes of Paragon, a situation has arisen here in our fair city. It goes beyond us, as Paragon City; beyond us as Americans; to affect us as people of the planet Earth. It is a situation that will require all our courage, our might and our resolve. A force has arisen that threatens to take control of the entire planet, starting here, at Paragon. A military mastermind by the name of Thomas Maarlynd has brought together an elite army, calling themselves the GAC."

At this, Corrigan gave a start. He had been listening attentively, but now his mind, as well as Ace's mind, drifted back to a warehouse they had visited not long ago...

"They have issued an ultimatum, calling for complete and uncondition surrender. We will of course stand against them. They have extended their ultimatum to include the entirety of human civilization; Maarlynd specifically stated that he intended to control the entire world. This must not happen!"

"This, Heroes, is why we have come together today, as the mighty heroes of yesterday came together to repel the Rikti, as heroes of ages past came together to repel the greatest of threats. We must stop the GAC, for if they have their way, the world will be held in an iron grip by their tyrannical dictator! He fights for power and greed, but we fight for the noble cause of freedom, and we shall triumph as we have always done before! Come together now, you the most courageous of people, and let us drive this enemy away and eliminate the madman that threatens us all!"

A cheer had been building all this time, and now it let out in full, with Superheroes, policemen, infantry and even bystanders erupting into confident calls of readiness and patriotism. Corrigan turned to Ace, and the smile was more twisted than ever; twisted by tension, by fear, but most of all, by eagerness.

"This is it," he said. "Ace... this is what we'll be remembered for."

* * *

And so, the war began... and all hell broke loose on Paragon City once more.


	8. Chapter 8: War

Here we go. All fingers are crossed for this chapter. Here's to CloudedLeopard, my true blue reviewer, keep up the good work with your fanfics.

DISCLAIMER: This chapter is too serious for a funny disclaimer. The previous disclaimers remain in effect.

* * *

Chapter 8: War

"DUCK!"

Cor hit the dirt as a rocket flew overhead. Ace fired a fast burst over Cor's back, nailing the trooper in the shoulder. Professor Manisto's modifications worked like a charm- the hollow-point bullets tore the soldier's left arm from his shoulder, and the man went down screaming.

An electrical burst shorted Ace's circuits for a few seconds. When he reactivated, Cor was bleeding profusely from abdomen. Ace fired a high-velocity shell that took the enemy down hard. Activating his jump jets, he boosted over a low wall. Checking to see that she wasn't busy, he grabbed Adalia around the hips and jumped back over the wall, landing in front of Cor.

Adalia let out a short gasp, and then knelt beside him. Ace used his chemical launcher to create a wall of fire around them, hopefully shielding them from view. Looking back, he watched as blue fire flowed from Adalia into Corrigan, and the wound on Cor's stomach began to heal.

* * *

Tom Maarlynd watched in disgust. His new troops were faring quite well against the superheroes—he was only losing three troops to every superhero that went down—but that number was deceptive. As the lesser heroes went down, that ratio went up, the stronger heroes holding the line. What was worse, whenever a hero fell, they were ported to a nearby medical facility. His troops had captured a few said facilities, but nonetheless the going was hard. He was not forging ahead, was not fighting efficiently, and was _not_ happy.

* * *

Kethric kicked the rifle back up towards Ace, who caught it out of the air and snapped it forward. Ace took out the enemy snipers as Kethric swung his axe, taking down trooper after trooper. Cor covered their back, alternating between his Katana for close encounters and a submachine gun he had taken from a fallen enemy for long-distancing. Adalia was busy healing Jade Savior not far away, with Virus of Life covering her.

A wave of enemy troopers came down the street, announcing their presence with a volley of scatterbombs. Kethric knocked Cor out of the way, and Ace dove in front of Adalia and Jade, while Virus flew out of the blast radius

The bombs detonated, blasting out huge chunks of the street and surroundings. With an ominous rumble, a building tumbled down, covering all of them in debris.

* * *

Tom was smiling as he watched the battle. His troops no longer needed to hold the medical facilities as priorities—his Infiltration core had rerouted the system. The heroes who fell in battle now fell in battle _permanently_. The one-to-four ratio now made him a lot happier, seeing as how he had a ten-to-one ratio of troops to superheroes.

* * *

Jade Savior got up slowly. For some reason, he wasn't in the medical facility, as he expected. Shaking his head to clear it, he looked around. It didn't do him much good—the total darkness made it impossible to see.

_Where the heck am I?_ He thought to himself.

It was his last thought.

The auto guns spun to a stop, and retracted into the wall to wait once more.

* * *

Ace blasted his way out of the rubble, and then took to the sky. Scanning the area, he saw Kethric pulling Adalia up, and Cor jogging silently through a nearby alley. He located the enemy troops, and loaded an explosive clip into his rifle.

Pulling down in a tight arc, he saturated the area with HE shells. Three soldiers went down. Pulling back, he felt his rockets cut off, hit by an electrical burst from below. Frantically, he tried to reactivate them as he fell. A few feet from the ground, he triggered his jump jets. The extra force slowed him enough to hit the ground without being hurt.

Slinging his rifle, he ran a quick diagnostic of his flight rockets. Rerouting through tertiary circuits, he brought them back online, but didn't activate them.

Triggering his jets again, he leapt up onto a bridge and began laying a timed explosive over some stress fractures. Sensing movement to his left, he dove into a roll, just avoiding a salvo of flash rounds. Unclipping a web grenade, he launched it toward the window the rounds came from, and was rewarded with a string of curses from the hidden soldier.

Unslinging his rifle, he kicked the activator switch on the bomb.

* * *

Walking quickly down the hallway, Tom Maarlynd reviewed the tactical data still streaming in from King's Row. Tango Squad had been located trapped inside a collapsed tunnel. Victor squad had been eliminated by a hero. Foxtrot had rounded up and eliminated a police detachment in the area.

Turning into a side room, he came face to face with his R&D Quadrant Leader.

"Richard," he said to the QL, "Show me what your people can do."

* * *

Grabbing a phone pole, Ace did a quick u-turn and slammed into the jetpack trooper with both feet. Blasting upward to avoid a grenade, he collided with another soldier and brought him to the ground with a flip kick and a HE round. Virus flew into him, knocking him away from a rocket that had almost had him.

A ground-shaking explosion announced the bomb going off, dumping a full squadron of enemy soldiers into a deep pit and covering them with rubble. A tank shell went off a few feet from Ace, sending him spinning and Virus tumbling to the ground, holding his ears.

Getting his bearings, Ace dodged another jetpack trooper as Cor sliced open the hatch on the tank and dove inside. Ace turned and grabbed the flying soldier's jetpack, crushing it and sending the trooper on a wild trajectory that ended with an explosion.

Looking down, Ace watched as a hummer rounded the corner and got shot by the tank, no doubt now piloted by Cor. Swooping down, Ace grabbed Virus and dragged him out of the red zone.

* * *

Maarlynd snarled in anger as a new report came in—the Statesman had appeared on the battlefield in Independence Port and was mowing down troops at speed. He ordered his squads there into full retreat, an order he did not like giving.

His anger faded as the call came in—the I-Elite had touched down in King's Row. Now he got to see if Richard's funding had been worth the effort.

* * *

Flying back over the battlefield, Ace watched as a GAC troop transport began takeoff. Loading his rifle, Ace took aim and fired a cluster grenade, but it was shot out of the air by the turret operator.

Turning back towards the main fight, Ace jerked in surprise as his back—and his rockets—froze solid with ice. A more controlled descent than the last brought him down on a rooftop with circuit-jarring force, but minimal damage.

Ducking down, he peered over the edge of the roof. A small squad of troops—no more than seven—marched down the street. None of them had guns, surprisingly. More surprising, however, was the fact that the shortest of them was seven feet tall. At the shoulder.

Taking careful aim, he fired a high-velocity shell. It was a perfect shot, and would have taken any normal soldier down. This soldier didn't fall.

With a mighty leap, the trooper landed in front of Ace. He made a throwing motion, and Ace realized belatedly that he 'held' a gravity distortion. Ace was thrown back down to the street.

As his circuits activated emergency shutoff and repairs, he felt the medical teleport taking hold.

* * *

Now _that_ is how the story was meant to be! Please R&R, let me know if you have any suggestions or criticisms! Next chapter will be coming very soon!


	9. Chapter 9: Base

Disclaimer is still in effect.

Chapter 9: Base

SYSTEMS DIAGNOSTIC RUNNING

REFRESH DAMAGE REPORT

GENERAL SYSTEMS OPERATING AT 97

SECONDARIES OFFLINE

EMERGENCY SYSTEMS OFFLINE

REACTIVATE

Ace's consciousness returned to him as his systems came back online. The room he was in was pitch black, and quite obviously not the medical facility he was supposed to teleport into. His danger level jumped immediately as his low-light visor cut in, and he triggered his jump jets just as the auto cannons began firing at his position. Their tracking was slow, and he was able to unsling his assault rifle and destroy them with explosive shells.

Taking a moment to assess his surroundings, Ace recoiled in horror. All around him lay the stacked bodies of once-heroes, riddled with bullet holes. Blood ran in rivulets down onto the floor, where it pooled and congealed. Many of the faces were ones Ace recognized, Jade Savior among them.

After a second, Ace was forced to tone down his emotion circuit. He refused to turn it off entirely, because the grief at this sight was natural, but he had to escape this place, and he couldn't if he was overwhelmed by emotion.

He wondered where he was. Obviously, something had gone haywire in the teleportation grid… someone must have tampered with it; Maarlynd's spies, no doubt. Now it was sending the unconscious superheroes here, to this death pit.

Ace looked slowly around the room. As far as he could tell, it was totally sealed off. He activated his x-ray visor and made another sweep, but couldn't find any evidence of a seal or of a tunnel behind the walls. He was trapped here, it would seem.

Impossible, of course; the teleportation grid needed a direct wire access to a location in order to teleport someone there. There had to be a control center somewhere nearby… but not necessarily on a level plain! Ace looked up, and sure enough, wires ran through the ceiling and connected to a room overhead.

Triggering his jump boosters, Ace fired upward and smashed through the ceiling. As the dust cleared, he took a quick look around. The room was filled with circuitry and wiring so thick that no one could possibly be here round the clock. It had to be computer controlled, with just enough room for emergency maintenance.

Ace accessed the local computer terminal. Usually, he could crack any system, since he was a computer himself and thus had innate knowledge of how one worked, but this system incorporated the heaviest security measures he had ever known. It went far beyond normal countermeasures; passwords were easy, bioprints could be faked, but the entire operating system of this terminal was encoded, with a unique keyboard setup done entirely with non-English symbols, a unique computer operating system, and what appeared to be an AI dedicated defense program. There was no way anyone could crack this kind of security. Ace wasn't sure how the people who used it got past their own security.

Option A fails, go with option B, Ace thought, unclipping an EMP grenade off his belt. As he emerged from the room, he activated the bomb and tossed it back in behind him. There was a soft explosion, followed by a crackling sound as dozens of wires discharged and fried. That should end the redirection, Ace thought to himself.

With that, Ace turned around. Ahead of him was a heavy metallic door. Beside it was a wall-mounted keypad. Most people would be balked at this. Ace, on the other hand, could relay directly with the computer inside. The terminal may have been a unique operating system, but keypads were all done the same, and with a bit of rewiring, Ace was easily able to access the door controls.

The door slid open. The hall inside was well lit and clean, with smooth stone walls and steel flooring. It was a short hallway leading to another door, with a second hallway crossing it. Down the side hallways were several dozen doors leading into small rooms; as far as Ace could tell, a prison block.

Crossing the hallway, Ace again accessed the keypad and opened the door. Two guards were chatting at what appeared to be a security checkpoint ahead. Ace ducked to the side as they looked at the open doorway.

"Check it out," one of them said. "I'll call in a report. If you're not back in two minutes, I'm calling in reinforcements." The other guard nodded, picked up his sidearm, and walked to the door.

"All clear!" he shouted. "Must've been a short. Get a maintenance team down here to check it out." He shut the door and walked back to his seat.

Once out of sight of the guards, Ace deactivated his cloaking system. He had emerged from the checkpoint into another long hallway, this one curving gently in each direction, so it would form a circle if it went far enough. It was well lit and the walls were smooth, with what appeared to be alarm boxes every few yards. Ace concluded that it must be the central hallway of the complex, and the alarm boxes implied that it was home to patrolling guards.

CLOAKING DEVICE OPERATING AT 100

POWER SYSTEM ROUTER ACTIVE

Satisfied that he could maintain cloak, Ace reactivated the device and began walking down the hallway. Several times, he passed a trio of guards on patrol; once, a large group of guards jogged down the hallway, obviously intent on their destination. Hallways branched off to the left, opposite the direction of the curve.

Ace concluded that the circle was some 80 yards in diameter, and he had traversed most of it before finding a heavily guarded door that branched off into the center of the circle. Unsure of how to proceed, he stepped to the side and reran the trip in his mind.

As far as he could tell, he was in a GAC base; possibly the main base. It was definitely underground, and extremely well guarded. The inside of the circle was so heavily guarded that it must be either the control room or the elevator to the surface. Either way, Ace was intent on accessing that room… and either way, if he did, he would no longer have any need for stealth.

He walked gently between the guards, getting as close as possible without alerting them to his presence. Then, reaching down, he triggered a nerve gas grenade.

The guards slumped to the floor, unconscious. Accessing the code pad, Ace opened the door and slipped through. He found himself on a short catwalk over a shallow trench. The trench was crisscrossed with laser beams, and auto guns on the ceiling and walls watched over the area. On the other end of the catwalk was one more door.

He opened it. Stepping through, he filed one last command—the catwalk behind him dropped, leaving no way to follow him in. Even as it happened, he heard shouts in the room ahead of him and bullets began whizzing past him.

Spinning around, he unslung his rifle and dove to the side. Six guards were converging on his position. Before they began firing again, Ace launched an M60 grenade into their formation.

Alarms sounded even as the grenade went off, spraying shrapnel and blood everywhere.

He was in what appeared to be the control room itself. Several computer terminals were arranged around the room, each with two people sitting at them. Some were looking at Ace in surprise; most were ignoring the situation completely and continuing their work.

And in the center of it all, standing up from his chair, was Maarlynd himself.


	10. Chapter 10: Well Oiled Machine

Why are people suddenly looking at this? YAY! I have reviewers! Special thanks to everyone - you know who you are! And of course, extra-special to Clouded, for sticking with it. Hope you all enjoy the next chapter! 

DISCLAIMER: Here I logged onto my computer today and tried to look up my profits off of CoH sales, and the blasted comp popped up an error.  
"WARNING: City of Heroes is owned by NCsoft, not you"  
Well, I dunno about the validity of that, but my computer told me so it must be true! Too bad, though.

* * *

CHAPTER 10: Well-Oiled System

"Calm yourself, hero. Don't be so hasty as to open fire on me... I realise that you're willing to sacrafice your life to kill me, but perhaps your views will change when we take a moment to talk like civilized people"  
Ace hesitated, then slowly lowered his rifle. "What is there to talk about, Maarlynd? You're here to take over the world and I'm here to stop you. What more is there to this"  
Maarlynd sighed slowly. "What do they call you, hero?" "They call me Ace." "Ace, sit with me a moment." Maarlynd took a seat, motioning to Ace to do the same. Taking a chair, Ace glanced at the nearby command center. The screens showed many fights occuring across Paragon. The heroes were slowly being beaten back, that much was certain.  
Maarlynd nodded to Ace, calling his attention back. "As you can see, Ace, you are slowly losing this fight. However, take note of the items most people miss. Anyone who surrenders is taken but not killed. We have done no harm to anyone who did not stand against us directly. We fight decisively, most certainly... but as you can plainly see, I am not a madman bent on destruction of everything around me. "I spent a long time learning buisness, Ace. It's how I built a successful corporation based around genetic alteration and experimentation. Because buisness is more than half politics, especially in the higher echelons, I spent a lot of time studying that as well.  
"What I saw disgusted me. Ace, I've been around for a while, and I've seen some truly hopeless politics. A perfect example is here in the United States, where we have a two-party system for the presidential election and in each case, both candidates are vastly inferior to the bonsai tree that I grow in my study. Fools banter words in Congress and never truly correct that which needs change. Everywhere, people defy and disobey the flawed system of our government. And we pay for it, Ace... through murder, thievery, arson, we pay for it. People get away with these things every day, even now, even with the Superheroes"  
Maarlynd paused for a moment, taking a sip of water, while Ace digested this. Throughout his work as a crimefighter, he was often forced to think as the criminal would... and in most such cases, the criminals were victims of the system. The poor and recently evicted often turned to crime to preserve their own lives. Those unable to find honest jobs turned to the black market. Gang members were often those who had lost it all in various ways. Even many of the odder groups, such as the Tsoo and the Circle of Thorns, were made up primarily of outcasts and homeless people.  
"Now Ace, imagine this for a second. A unified world, ruled by a single person who wants nothing more than the safety and health of those he rules. A system built on the ideal of justice equal for all. Decisions made swiftly. No votes, no pointless bickering, just a clean system. Yes, these people are not truly 'free' in the sense that Americans are free, but what has this supposed freedom gotten us? Bad economy, constant crime, rampant idiocy. "My view, Ace, is for a world where I rule. Not because I am a megalomaniac, not because I've got an overblown self esteem, but because I know that I could run it right. A world where crime is truly gone, where people work together in harmony, where everyone is safe in the knowledge that I am looking out for them. Such a world would be indeniably strong.  
"Imagine if this world were under attack by the Rikti? The aliens would be defeated in a matter of hours. Perfectly organised military with the best weapons and armor we have to offer. You've seen how well disciplined my army already is? Imagine that on a global scale.  
"And it goes even beyond that, Ace... No more competition in the global marketplace, just the common ideal of a better life. Research would be constantly equally shared across the globe. Good ideas would be implemented immediately, without consumerism or beaurocratic red tape. Everyone would get a good education, everyone would be able to go into a field they love"  
Maarlynd slowly stopped speaking, seeming almost lost in his ideal. Shortly, he stood up from the table. "Come with me, if you would, Ace... I'll show you my operations here. A man isn't judged by how he treats his equals, but by how he treats those under him"  
Maarlynd walked through the exit, guiding Ace down the curving hall. "This place is a corporation as much as a military establishment, Ace, and a corporation is only as good as it's baseline workers. In this case, that means the troops." Maarlynd turned down a hallway, nodding at passing soldiers. "This is the barracks, Ace... as you can see, each person has a separate room, all the privacy he needs. We have several thousand soldiers here, and the barracks complex stretches deep and far into the earth. These automated lifts can take you to any room block you want, in a matter of minutes. The other end of the hall is the mess room, we serve quality food"  
They returned to the central hallway, walking a short distance. "We work hard to accomodate every person's needs here, Ace. This isn't the rat warren of a pyschotic dictator, but is instead a well-oiled and efficient system dedicated to perfection of all we do. It's taken decades to build up to this point and we've reached a level of perfection that makes me proud of everyone who was a part of it.  
"This hallway leads to the classrooms. Anyone who hasn't finished their education is given free courses up to and through their bachelor's degree. Further along the hallway is the research labs, where we work hard to enhance lifestyle.  
"This next hallway leads to the power plants. We use a clean-burning system here, which deposits almost no pollution into the atmosphere but continues to provide a more than sufficient energy source. We've also got a number of solar plants which generate excess energy we store for emergencies.  
"Each area, as you've seen, is guarded by a security checkpoint. The job is boring so each checkpoint has a minimum of two guards. We allow guards to choose who they want to work with, and if any guard is too tired to keep a good watch they simply page the main coordinator and ask for a temporary replacement, so they can get their rest. A half-asleep guard is of no use, after all.  
"Through here is the factory and development plant. Again, all of our systems run on clean electricity and are checked daily by maintenence teams. Beyond that, the system is almost fully automated. Right now we're unfortunately using up our resources churning out weapons for this coup, but soon enough we hope to switch to less violent production queues"  
As Maarlynd continued to explain his operations, Ace considered his purposes carefully. He was very persuasive; the view he had provided Ace with was incredible. A utopia, indeed... but Maarlynd seemed to have all his bases covered. It seemed almost possible.  
Ace still operated within his prime directive, but this utopia fit that far better than the present system, too. It was true that these people would lack their basic freedoms, but wasn't that a fair tradeoff for total security and a perfect lifestyle for all? The more he thought about it, the more it seemed that this was indeed a far nobler cause than maintaining the current regime.  
They reached the door back into the command center. "So you see, Ace," Maarlynd said, "Our operation here is actually for the benefit of all. However, most people are too blind to accept this... it is unfortunate that we must come to war over this, but unaviodable as well. I'm sorry for the sight you had to witness when you first came here, but in war some atrocities are necessary to ensure that worse ones won't happen in the future. Soon enough we will win, and then we can begin ensuring that this will never again be necessary"  
Ace nodded, still processing. "You have given me much to think on, Mr. Maarlynd, but I hope you understand that I cannot simply ignore my duty to the state... with respect, I'd like to claim a few days to think on this"  
Maarlynd bowed. "Of course, Ace, noone should have to make decisions without time to think. I'll have an assistant show you out. Oh, and Ace?  
"You may call me Thomas."


End file.
